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Local riflemen gearing up for World Championships as part of WI Team
– Captain Persaud confident of strong representation
By Franklin Wilson
The Guyanese presence on the West Indies team for the ICFRA World Long Range Championships set for Camp Perry, Ohio, USA in August is vital for the overall performance of the team.
Riflemen during last year’s National at the Timehri Ranges.
Guyana’s Fullbore Captain, Mahendra Persaud said he expects the Guyanese marksmen including West Indies Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite will form the nucleus of the Caribbean team which he expects will hold its own against the best teams in the world.
The restart of training on the local end he informed would commence as soon as the ammunition is cleared from Customs and that would be shortly.
Sponsorship has always been a challenge for the reigning Caribbean Long and Short Range champions.
“Letters have been sent out to the usual supporters, I prefer to call them this, because they have stuck with us over the years. This has contributed immensely to our success over the last 15 to 20 years.”
Persaud informed that the shooters would have one day of practice to get their Zeros with the new ammunition which is made by Hornady.
National Captain Mahendra Persaud (right) and Caribbean and Guyana Individual champion, Lennox Braithwaite.
“This will be at 800, 900, and 1000 yards ranges. I shot this ammo before in Canada and it is excellent but a bit pricey but still it works out cheaper than ammo out of England. After this we will then turn our attention to recorded shoots and team training.”
With the services of Guyana and West Indies Wind Coach Paul Slowe not being available due to job commitments with the WI Cricket team, Persaud said that they will divide themselves into two teams and select a couple of coaches from among themselves to train.
“In any case, based on our experience and dominance at the long ranges over the years especially, we will be expected to spearhead the WI Rifle team in both shooting and coaching.
The shooters are brimming with confidence and based on the scores from the last few practice days in April, I expect us all to hold our own. I think we are all shooting as good as we ever did in our careers.”
Captain Persaud noted that he has been seeing tremendous improvement from Leo Romalho while seasoned campaigner Ransford Goodluck is getting back into stride. Dylan Fields he said has also been putting in tremendous scores.
“Lennox Braithwaite is still delivering the scores as per normal. I feel also that my shooting is right up there with my best. I expect us to have as many as eight Guyanese shooters in the final WI team of sixteen, inclusive of the above five, Ryan Sampson and the USA based duo of Sigmund Douglas and John Fraser.”
The nucleus of the team has been around for almost 20 years, Persaud reminded as they working their way up from being known as a start and stop team to being referred to presently, as a well oiled machine, grinding out victories at will.
“We are presently the dominant factor in Caribbean shooting and continue to make an impact whenever we venture further afield, keeping Guyana’s flag flying and gaining respect from shooters all over the world.”
Team Guyana has only lost the WI Long Range title three (3) times in the last fifteen (15) years while winning the Short Range Championship eight (8) times in the past eleven (11) years.
In the last two Commonwealth Games, Guyana placed 5th and 6th in India and Scotland respectively. Persaud and Braithwaite both made it to the Queens Final at Bisley in 2008 and 2014 respectively where they were both promoted to X class.
Persaud ended 14th in the Governor General’s final (2014) in Canada with only 2 points separating the top 15 positions, Vs being the deciding factor.
The Guyanese Captain also stated: “If the tour to the USA is to be a success, the Guyanese members of the WI team needs as sponsors and supporters as possible on board so that the best Sports team presently representing Guyana can continue to keep our Flag flying proudly.”
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